St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-03
Bounding Ambitions Which
= Tend in the Direction Of
Territorial Delegate.
A Clear Tendency Among Re-
publicanS to Desert the
Division Movement.
Dakota Will Surely Be Men,
toned in the Presidents
Message in Some Way.
A Fearfully Mixed Condition
Of Affairs at Fargo Over
Local Option.

From the Globes Special Staff Contributor.
WATERFOWL, Dec. 1.-The great
question in Dakota now is, who
will be the next delegate IN congress
from this territOry?" 1t is not a ques-
ton that can be easily answered now.
1t is one that disturbS the average poll
tician-Of which their name is legion"
in Dakota-and it may be that some of
these politicians think they can see far
enough into the future to be able to tell
who that man who will represent the
greatest territory on earth'' will be.
1t is curious fact that there are none
more vigilant or anxious to find out
where this political lightning will strike
than the railroad corporations. The
Northern Pacific road has its eye peeled,
you may bet, for the lucky man, and it
will use every endeavor to have the NOM
inee not only man from North Dakota,
but railroad attorney of theirS-their
tool for any kind of a job. The North
western and Milwaukee systems are not
less alert. Clifford was warmly cham
piOned by the Milwaukee road at the
YanktOn convention. was present at
that convention, and enjoyed some huge
fun. Mcdonald, for the Milwaukee,
was busy at work influencing" the
several deeStrickS" in GiffOrd'S inter
est.
Who will be the candidates for dele
gate next fall? In my humble opinion,
at the present time, it is hard to tell
just exactly who the men will be. l
think | can strike within a half a mile
of them. Among the Republicans there
are: Melvin Grigsby, of Sioux Falls,
who came very near a nomination the
last time and is the strongest man at
his home of any of the candidates
named yet. George w. Matthews, pres
ident of the council. is not unlikely to
. he prominent as a candidate from Cen
trail Dakota. These two men are not at all
prominent for their division" Senti-
mentS, and are both anxious to see Da-
kdta admitted in the way that may
seem best to congress. For this reason
think that they stand the best chance
of being the next nominee. Another
thing: The next candidate of the Re-
publican party will be from South Da-
kota; that may be depended upon for the
reasOn.that South Dakota has the great
majority Of the votes and there are men
there who have had experience enough
in former conventions not to be fooled
or tricked out of their just rights. The
southern part of this territory is not
green enough to be played into North
DakOta'S hands. North DakOta's
schemers are all right; they are sharp
enough, but South Dakota has too many
votes, and knows it too well to give over
to North Dakota without consideration
any advantage that it may possess.
REPUBLICANS TAKING WATER"
As | touched upon in my last letter,
the all-important consideration in the
next election will be the question of di
vision. From an analysis of the last
vote on this question, which is familiar
to everybody in Dakota by this time, it
is clearly evident that the people of this
territory do not want ''diviSion;" it is
only the politicians who want it. The
Woodworking, thinking people do not
care for anything that is clearly OF such
advantage to politicians. And l claim
to know what am talking about when
/ make this statement. The way in
which the Aberdeen convention is be-
ing worked up, and the interest that is
being developed, shows there is no
longer room for any doubt as to what
the feelings of the large majority of Da-
kOta people Is this question. They are
in favor OF admission, and OF leaving
the way in which it shall be accom-
plished to congress, the only body that
really has any right to deliberate on
this matter.
The position that the Republican party
of Dakota is taking on the subject of
division" now is really amusing. Be-
fore the last vote was taken, it was sup
posed by most of the prominent men of
the Republican party that the people of
the territory were in favor of division.
That was one reason why they all took
the position that they did. The mistake
that they made was one of time. They
failed to take into consideration the
fact that it was a number of years ago
that the people of this territory largely
pronounced for division. Since that
time circumstances have been altered
and Dakota is not the same territory
that she was five years ago. But, now
that the vote has been taken, the anus
ing part of the play comes in, i'll watch
ing these sO-called wise politicians play
ing. the agility they display. Most of
them are proclaiming that they never
were in favor of division" very much;
that they always were in favor of leav-
ing such matters to congress. This is
just exactly the right position for them
. to take in this matter of division"
TlIey will never regret it.
THE PRESIDENT MUST ACT.
1t is with considerable interest that
the people of Dakota are waiting for the
presidents message. They expect that
this time sure he will say something
about Dakota in it. These expectations
are based OH the interest that lately he
has seemed to take in Dakota. He has
appointed as governor one of his per-
sonal friends and has ad vised with him
in many matters of public policy. 1t is
well known that few weeks ago Gov.
called on the president. Together they
undoubtedly talked over Dakota mat
tiers, and it would be just like Gov.
Church to suggest that the president
mention Dakota and speak of her kindly
in his message; and it would be just
like President Cleveland to consider
such a matter favorably, and, as he has
nothing particular to gain or lose by it,
to please his friend, Gov. Church, i'm the
matter and give Dakota a good send-Off.
So Dakota people are rather eXpectant
of hearing something of this kind. Da-
kota is big, big country. and, there is
no use in talking, must receive atten-
ton from the head of government be-
fore long, and now seems like the ac-
eepted time.
5. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM.
1t is surprising what a congregation of
Dakota delegates in convention assem-
bled is. L suppose they are about as
senterprising looking lot as any con-
mentions. Many of the Dakota counties
are new, and their representatives are
eoften of the rustic, guileless sort. |
! was present at both the conventions last
year, and, with others that suffered a
like experiment, We were forced to ad-